Security Top Priority as Hofstra Presidential Debate Nears

Law enforcement is planning to drop a safety net around Hofstra University for next week’s presidential debate, which Nassau County police’s top cop called the most “significant security event” the county has hosted in decades.

During a press conference at Hofstra University Wednesday, Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter said at least a half-dozen law enforcement agencies have allocated manpower and other resources for the event. In total, more than a 1,000 cops are expected to flood the debate area.

With the eyes of the nation focusing on Hofstra next Monday, county officials said they’re not taking anything for granted.

“This election is very unique, and first and foremost you look at the two candidates,” Krumpter said, flanked by police brass. “This is a divisive election; it’s a lot of inflammatory conduct in this election.

“You look at the last year in this country and the world as a whole, the number of terrorist events as well as the direct assaults on law enforcement…that’s the big difference today,” he added.

QUICK PLANNING

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano said there are no specific threats to the county, adding, “We prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”

He said nearby residents should prepare to be inconvenienced by road closures and to plan for alternate routes, suggesting motorists avoid the area entirely.

Hofstra University was a late addition to the presidential debate series. Selected first as an alternate location, Hofstra was the Committee on Presidential Debates’ pick to replace Wright University in Ohio, which backed out in July due to security issues and budgetary concerns. That left Nassau County—and Hofstra—a little more than two months to plan for the first of three presidential debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Although officials didn’t have an entire year to devote to the debate, which would’ve been the case had Hofstra initially received a nod, the county said its past experience has been invaluable.

The university hosted presidential debates in 2008 and 2012. Come Monday, it’ll have the distinction of being the first-ever university to host three consecutive presidential debates.

“It’s a whole lot easier to build on what we know and what we already learned, even though the dynamic today is significantly more complicated,” Krumpter said.

Nassau estimates the cost of policing and other county efforts to be upwards of $2 million.

THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS EXPECTED

The county is preparing for an excess of 10,000 demonstrators to flood the nearby area on debate day.

Police have designated a portion of Hempstead Turnpike and Hofstra’s south campus parking lots as “Free Speech” zones.

Nassau police is following its script from last spring’s Trump rally in Bethpage, which attracted several hundred protesters. Aware of previous altercations between Trump supporters and those who abhor his proposals, the department made sure to segregate the opposing voices. They plan to do the same thing during the debate, Krumpter said.

“Nassau County Police Department will not tolerate any violations of law,” Krumpter said. “But we’ll do everything we can to protect people’s rights for free speech.”

Rashed Mian has been covering local news for the Long Island Press since 2011. He graduated from Hofstra University in 2010 where he studied print journalism. Rashed, the staff's multimedia reporter, covers daily news for the web, shoots/edits feature videos and writes about civil liberties. He loves Afghan food and sports. Rashed is also a caffeine freak. Email: rmian@longislandpress.com. Twitter: rashedmian